Sporting Heros join forces with Premier Sport - 1st Aug 2010
Premier Sport is proud to introduce four of their newest Ambassadors - sport stars who excel in their fields and who want to pass on some of their expertise to your pupils.
From one of the country’s leading Paralympians to a cricket champ, a badminton ace and a football captain, all have united with Premier to provide fun, safe sport while helping your children reach their full potential.
They join some big name stars who have already pledged their backing to Premier Sport – including rugby union hero Laurence Dallaglio, Olympic champions Duncan Goodhew and Wendy Sly, and rugby league legend Paul Sculthorpe.
DANIEL NOBBS
A shot-putter gunning for gold in the London 2010 Paralympics, Danny has won the British Wheelchair Athletics Association Athlete of the Year award three times, and is currently ranked number one in the world. He came tenth in the Beijing Paralympics and has already beaten his own British record this year, throwing only 20cm short of the World Record.
Name: Danny Nobbs
Age: 30
Career achievements: 2008 Beijing Paralympics, British Record holder, 3 times British Wheelchair Athletics Association 'Athlete of the Year'
What sports did you enjoy as a child? Football, cricket and athletics before I had a motorcycle accident aged 17.
How often do you train? I train 6 days a week, split between more local training, and training at the English Institute of Sport at Lee Valley, London.
What is the most memorable moment/achievement of your career so far? Competing in front of 92,000 people in the Birds Nest Stadium and the 2008 Beijing Paralympics.
Future plans? To get selected for the Aviva GB & NI team for the World Championships in Christchurch, New Zealand, in January 2011...and then its aiming for gold at London 2012.
What made you decide to join the Premier Sport team? I decided to join the Premier Sport team as they are so committed to coaching sport to all in a fun and inclusive way. Sport is all about enjoyment, and Premier Sport coaches lead the way in fun, safe sports coaching to allow you to be the very best that you can be.
DONNA KELLOGG
Olympic badminton player Donna Kellogg won 88 caps for England and was one of the countries most successful badminton players before retiring last year. The doubles specialist had a medal-packed career spanning 12 years.
Name: Donna Kellogg
Age: 32
Career achievements: Participated in 3 Olympic Games - Sydney Australia in 2000, Athens Greece in 2004, and Beijing China in 2008. Commonwealth Games Ladies Doubles Gold Medallist, Team Gold medallist and Mixed Doubles Bronze Medallist 1998. Commonwealth Games Team Gold medallist 2002. Commonwealth Games Ladies Doubles Bronze medallist and Team Silver Medallist 2006, World Mixed Doubles Finalist 2007, European Ladies Doubles Winner 2000, 2006, European Mixed Doubles Winner 2008
What sports did you enjoy as a child? Badminton, netball, horse riding, football - I would try lots of different sports at school and after school clubs.
How did you first get into badminton and how old were you? At school aged 10. I had a teacher that was interested in the sport and he set up an after school club that I attended with my friends. I enjoyed it, I had the opportunity to play with my friends and enjoyed competing and the feeling of success and improving.
Future plans? I retired in December 2009. I am now looking at different opportunities available to me to use my experience/skills I have gained as a professional athlete and this is why I have joined the Premier Sport team as it is a new experience for me. I have enjoyed working with the people and children I have met and passing on my experiences to hopefully encourage and inspire others into a life involved in sport.
PAUL NIXON
Former England wicket keeper Paul Nixon of Leicestershire County Cricket Club has scored nearly 23,000 runs in a career which has seen him win the Commonwealth Bank Series in Australia with England.
Name: Paul Nixon
Age: 39
Career achievements: England U15 , England A , Leicestershire CCC , Kent CCC , Deli Giants (India) & England.
County Championship Winner 1996 & 1998. Sunday League 2001 Kent, 20-20 Winners 2004 & 2006. Scored over 22,950 runs, over 1550 WK dismissals. Winning Commonwealth Bank Series in Australia 2007 with England.
How often do you train? Six days a week in the off season, cricket or gym or mind work. Mind work is writing a training diary, from cricket drills to how I felt, to what worked well and what not so well. It also involves visualization of grounds we are going to play, opposition bowlers etc. I would close my eyes and think of the ground dressing rooms, smell the place, the warm up to walking out to bat, making my mark on the wicket plus facing the bowlers.
I also do eye exercises with various contraptions to speed up and keep eye muscles sharp. We as pro`s spend much more time thinking about our opposition, as all our games are on computer so we do our homework on them.
What is the most memorable moment/achievement of your career so far? Playing For England in Australia (winning series), receiving my Cap from Michael Vaughan and playing in front of 89,000 at Melbourne. Also playing in the last World Cup in the West Indies.
What made you decide to join the Premier Sport team? Premier Sport is a quality company who I know want to make a difference, I also want to make a difference with the passion and knowledge I have gained over the years.
MAT MITCHEL-KING
Captain of Crewe Alexandra FC Mat Michel-King is a 6ft 3in defender who can also play in midfield.
He began his career playing for Cambridge City and Cambridge United before moving to Mildenhall and then Histon.
Mat was captain of Histon during the 2008/2009 season, captaining them against Leeds United in the FA Cup and in the Play Off’s where they narrowly missed out on promotion to the football league.
He signed for Alex in 2009, and has captained the side on several occasions.
Name: Mat Mitchel-King
Height: 6f 3
Weight: 14 stone
Position: Defender
Mat initially worked as a model as well as playing for Histon – even working as a body double for Rio Ferdinand in Nike ads – but gave it up when the chance of full-time football came his way.
“I’ve worked my way up from the bottom and I’ve taken every chance I have had in football with both hands,” he said.